Guy Vander Linden Capitol News Update April 5, 2012

Representative Guy Vander Linden works at his desk in the Iowa House on Wednesday afternoon

Iowa’s Unemployment Rate Drops To 5.3%

Iowa Workforce Development announced this week that Iowa’s unemployment rate had dropped to 5.3% in the month of February as it continues to retain the 6th lowest unemployment rate in the nation. While the national average stayed the same as the previous month: 8.3% for the month of February, Iowa’s unemployment rate continues to decline and is accompanied by a gain in non-farm employment. Non-farm employment saw a net gain of 8,700 jobs from January to February as the numbers rose from 1,484,800 to 1,493,500. The sectors reflecting the biggest gains were education and health services (+3,600), leisure and hospitality (+2,100), and construction (+1,300), while ‘other services’ was the only sector that saw a drop in numbers for the month (-500).

Statistically, Lyon County remains the best situated in Iowa with an unemployment rate at a 3.0%. Following Lyon’s rating is Johnson county with 3.9 % unemployment, while Carroll and Story rank behind Johnson with a 4.0% unemployment rate. Counties with the lowest statistical unemployment rating are Allamakee (9.3%),
Hamilton (9.0%), Jasper (8.9%) and both Lee and Clayton with 8.7% unemployment.

Iowa Veterans Home to Study PTSD

The House recently passed Senate File 2245, a bill requiring the Iowa Veterans Home to initiate and coordinate a PTSD (post-traumatic stress) dual diagnosis treatment program study.

The study will include finding information on: funding sources, program structure, program requirements, the need for such a program in Iowa, focus on the establishment of a dual diagnosis program for individuals seeking treatment for service-connected posttraumatic stress, and substance abuse. The bill requires that the committee deliver the report to the general assembly and the governor by January 15, 2013.

If the study proves a program is necessary, Commandant David Worley hopes to open a center in Marshalltown for purposes of this legislation. Currently, the Veterans Home does care for veterans with PTSD.

Drop-out Prevention Funding Allowable Uses

In a bipartisan manner, the House recently passed a bill, Senate File 451, by 92-6 and it will now head to the Senate for approval. Known as modified allowable growth (MAG), Senate File 451 is a bill which focuses on drop-out prevention funding. In its original form, the bill generated vigorous debate regarding the property tax implications of the bill. The core concerns involved a reinterpretation of statute by the Department of Education which left many school districts with applications that were being denied, and facing limited options for addressing their drop-out problems.

The amendment approved by the House specifies appropriate uses of MAG funding, giving school districts increased flexibility to meet the needs of at-risk students.

In an effort to prevent an increased burden on local property tax payers, a cap was put into place based on historical percentages used by the school districts.
This left many districts with applications that were being denied, and limited options for addressing their drop-out problems.

The amendment approved by the House specifies appropriate uses of MAG funding, giving school districts increased flexibility to meet the needs of at-risk students. And in an effort to prevent an increased burden on local property tax payers, a cap was put into place based on historical percentages used by the school districts.

Currently school districts can request to levy up to 5% of their regular program costs beyond their regular program costs for MAG. The amendment caps school districts at two different levels, depending on their past practices over the past four fiscal years.

1. If over the fiscal years FY10-13 the school district never levied above 2.5%, then the cap is 2.5%
2. If over the fiscal years FY10-13 the school district did levy above 2.5%, then their cap going forward is the highest levy percentage during that period.

The bill also sets applicability dates to take into account the four fiscal years. Allowable uses of the funding goes in effect July 1, 2012, to be used next school year by districts, giving them immediate flexibility they have been asking for. And the fiscal portion goes into effect July 1, 2013, recognizing that school districts have already set their rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012.

Rep. Guy Vander Linden watches as HAZMAT enters the Iowa House

Unusual Capitol News

Following the opening of “a threatening letter” containing a white powder at the desk of State Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, the Iowa capitol building and all people within the building at the time were placed under lock-down for almost four hours late Tuesday afternoon through early evening.

Emergency vehicles were positioned outside the statehouse for four hours while hazmat crews operated within a decontamination area to test the unknown substance. Bio-hazard testing of the letter (reportedly unstamped and hand-delivered to the legislature’s mail room), resulted in a harmless chemical which has been retained by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation for further study and investigate.